Roses, Butterflies, and Seashells
by cheriepie89
Summary: When he was thirteen years old, Edward Masen received a rose. When he was ten, Jacob Black chased a butterfly, and when she was seven, Bella Swan wanted the pretty seashell that was just beyond her reach.


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_**Roses, Butterflies, and Seashells**_

_**Author: Cherrie in the Sky**_

**_A/N: Do enjoy, loves._**

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It was a bright spring day, which meant warm weather. Finally, because frankly, Edward Masen was tired of cold nights. The winter was especially bitter this year.

Edward loved the warmth. The sun and the greenery of Chicago was lovely, and his mother loved the spring the best. Elizabeth Masen was the lady with the green thumb. Their backyard was filled with different flowers, all cared for by the beautiful woman who loved her son and husband.

Edward, her pride and joy, helped her many times. Even as the springs came and went and he grew taller and less childish, he would kneel on one knee. His hands would wear gloves, and his green eyes would wrinkle as he smiled because he knew her mother was happy.

Best of all, though he would never admit it, Edward did love flowers. They were delicate and beautiful, but also secretive. Flowers could be dangerous and poison. Others could be safe and healing. They were a mystery to him. How can certain plants fool humans like that? It is as if they have minds of their own...

The only flowers that he never really understood were roses, his mother's favorite. They were beautiful yes, but they were not special in any way. Men give roses to women on a daily occasion. His own father would buy pink and red ones for his mother every month. Their colors were bright, they were easy to read, and most of all...they were common.

"Edward, here," his mother had gingerly given him a rose she had just cut from a rosebush. Her smile was radiant with her bronze colored hair-the color that matched her own son's head-gently flowing with the breeze. "You should give a rose to a girl that catches your fancy."

He knew that since he was no longer a child, he would soon see girls in a different light. But not even Edward could fathom as to why his mother believed one girl would be able to move him. He was complete in his own self.

He took the rose and instantly regretted it. The rose had one thorn that pierced the skin on his thumb. A drop of blood came out of hiding and Edward quickly put his wounded digit in his mouth. The blood was warm and salty.

"Roses are dangerous," he concluded. He supposed they were not as easy to read as he once believed.

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It was his birthday and he spent it on the beach with his two sisters and his father. They were bundled up from the chilly night air, but Jacob couldn't be any warmer. The sun was setting, the sand was a russet-red color, and he was happier than most. After all, he was getting older. He would be able to protect anyone he cared for, anyone he loved.

Jacob Black was always a peculiar boy.

"Hey! A butterfly!" Rebecca pointed. And it was. How strange. Don't butterflies fly to warmer places. Why would such a creautre who loved the sun come to a cold place like this?

"I will catch it, and keep it forever!" he declared. He was ten, after all. He was older now.

And he was fast. Perhaps faster than the fragile, rogue, butterfly that was flying just in front of him. It wasn't a particularly brightly colored butterfly. The wings were average sized, and were blue with small flecks of violet. Upon closer inspection, he could see that one wing was damaged. Yet, Jacob wanted it all the same.

The sand behind him displayed his footprints as he ran. He was getting tired, annoyed, and fistrated, but he would not give up. He would catch that butterfly. He just had to.

Jacob Black was such a peculiar boy.

His family watched him, three pairs on dark onyx eyes followed him with amusement. He felt foolish, but a stronger desire to catch the winged creature was strong.

With one jump, he did it. He cupped his hands and the wings beat against him slowly. It was fighting against his grasp and then finally, calmed down.

He looked at it, and he felt it was staring at him back.

Instantly, he felt guilty.

"Silly Jake! Why did you let it go?" his sister asked him after he sat down next to her, slightly dejected.

"I don't think she wanted to be with me," he shrugged in nonchalance.

In truth, however, he was slightly stung by the butterfly's rejection. Which was ridiculous, if he thought about it too much.

But Jacob Black was a peculiar boy.

* * *

Bella was always a small child. Small, and horribly clumsy.

"Bella, honey, be careful!" The voice of Renee, the mother, was heard from beyond the rocks of California, where the two were spending the winter break.

"I will!" Bella's small cry bsrely reassured Renee's worries. The young seven year old was prone to accidents. However, Bella was rushing to towards the rocks, looking for new and pretty things.

She had collected many trivial but dear possesions of the beach. Shells, big and small, were all making a tinkling noise and they hit each other in her bucket. Big, brown eyes scanned her surroundings. There was a small pool, made by the tide.

How pretty.

By the pool, she saw a shell, stronger-looking and darker than the ones she had discovered earlier. She picked it up carefully, holding it close to her heart-shapped face. It was strong. Big, as well. The color was that of a sunset. How curious. She never once saw a shell be such a color. As she placed her bucket down, she examined her new toy. Her fingers traced over each ruffle of the shell, concluding that it was hard to break. Happily, she placed it with the others.

She would have turned to go to her mother had the sun not shone on the pool's floor. Bella kneeled down to see what caused such a bright light to bounce from the sun's ray.

In the bottom of the pool was a crystal. It must have belonged to someone before. Crytals don't belong in beaches, do they? She did not know. This was something she would have to ask Renee, or possibly a book from the library.

Her hand went into the water and reached for the shiny crystal. No good, she could not reach it.

Well, Bella Swan was always stubborn.

Both arms were in the water now, her entire body leaning forward. Her fingers wiggled as she continued to push her body slowly, but surely. The pool was not that deep. She was confident that she would get it.

Renee heard a huge splash and in panic, rushed to her daughter. A small Bella was flailing, since she couldn't push herself over the water's surface.

"Oomph," she mumbled when her mother had pulled her out of the water. Oxygen was so glorious.

"What were you doing, Bella?!" Renee shrieked.

"I wanted it." Bella opened her palm to reveal her treasure. The crytal was naturally made, that was certain. It was beautiful, glittering like a diamond. The sun shone on it brightly, making tiny rainbows come from it.

"No matter, how beautiful you may find things, you shouldn't go after it if it's dangerous!" Renee scolded her only daughter. It was a silly request, unusual at best. However, Bella was sure she meant it. She nodded.

"Okay."

"Promise?"

"I promise, mommy."

They both walked together hand in hand, Renee carrying Bella's new treasures. Bella held on to the crystal with her other hand, her fingers clutching it in an iron hold. She would keep it forever.

At age seven, Bella didn't think much of promises.


End file.
